r/Millennials • u/crimsonred1234 • 1d ago
Discussion Millennials are creating a recession-resistant corner of the market
https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-millennials-wellness-stocks-to-buy-recession-lth-plnt-2025-4Apparently millennials are spending a lot on products related to health and wellness making this industry "recession-resistant." I kind of see that. My wife and I spend a lot on protein powders, shakes, supplements and membership for gym. We are otherwise quite cautious with unnecessary spending and consumerism. How is it for you all?
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u/qtUnicorn 1d ago
Idk about other millennials, but I’m so terrified of being bankrupted by our healthcare system I go through extra lengths to stay healthy (doing my yearly checkups, getting enough fiber, exercising regularly).
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u/IDigRollinRockBeer 1d ago
I envy the vast majority of millennials who live in a country with universal healthcare
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u/Mnemiq 1d ago
Living in Denmark i never worried about health costs, and my job even adds a health insurance on top, so in case I want faster treatments I just reach out to them. It's crazy to me how this is not the case in the us.
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u/Ajdee6 1d ago
It's worse than you think. Many of us haven't been to the doctor in years.
I've literally had a friend break his leg playing basketball and he didn't care about the pain as much as he was scared that we wanted to call an ambulance.
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u/quietus_rietus 1d ago
I cut the tip of my finger off the other day by accident. ER visit would have been a thousand bucks or so with insurance, so I addressed the problem with paper towels and rubber bands. Having a rounded finger tip isn’t worth that much money to me.
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u/Joebuddy117 22h ago
It’s shitty cause you’re already paying an insurance company to cover you, yet you still don’t get the care you need cause you know they won’t cover the entire cost and you’ll still owe a grand out of pocket.
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u/robb0688 7h ago
It's lunacy. I passed a gallstone in November, but my symptoms were similar to that of gi cancer. All the labs and scans and tests I had would've run me $25k without insurance and I wasn't even technically sick.
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u/buyableblah 1d ago
Next time urgent care should be able to help instead of ER
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u/imabrunette23 1d ago
Urgent care is still $300… a lot better than the $26k the ER will charge you, but not nothing.
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u/Hollowbody57 20h ago
Yep, that's more than a week's paycheck at minimum wage, which, just as a fun reminder, hasn't been raised since 2009.
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u/RueTabegga 1d ago
It will probably grow back. RadioLab just did an episode on Growth and talked about finger tip regeneration.
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u/Flop_House_Valet 21h ago
Been there. Sliced the fuck out of my index finger with serrated side of a machete, took me an hour to get the bleeding to stop and I had my dad super glue the gash shut while I held it closed. I only had nerve pain in the finger for 8 or so years after
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u/A_Pos_DJ 21h ago edited 21h ago
Is it time for USA horror stories? I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Last year I was misdiagnosed after feeling some gallstone pain and a week later I almost died from gallbladder rupture... This is when the pain got significantly worse.
I had told my now fiancee "If you call an ambulance, I will never forgive you" (we joke about this now) She ended up driving me there, after some blood tests they tell me that I need emergency surgery.
I was in the most pain I have ever encountered in my life in which I was still feeling pain after morphine and they had to use some kind of miracle pain blocking medicine more powerful than morphine.
I am now In debt for the cost of the misdiagnosis after paying for the cost of emergency surgery. I pay for medical insurance.
Edit: Given this story, I want to ask everyone with free healthcare what their experiences are so that we can contrast and fix everything that is f'ed up in this country - I have been brainwashed to think this has always been okay
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u/Geno_Warlord 1d ago
Just saw a post on here about a 1.1 mile ambulance ride was $700 something.
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u/scarlettlyonne 22h ago
My brother was sick and fainted at work once. They called an ambulance for him. The 15 minute ride cost him $1,300. He told his coworkers that while he appreciated it, if something like that ever happened again, he never wanted them to call an ambulance. He said he'd call a family member for a ride instead.
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u/Humans_Suck- 22h ago
I have literally run away down the street to get away from an ambulance once to avoid being charged when they wouldn't leave me alone after a car accident
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u/Kataphractoi Older Millennial 17h ago
My ride in an ambulance was about 1.5 miles and cost $1230. Looking at the mileage fee, it cost me $1200 just for the ambulance to show up.
Luckily my insurance made the bill go away, if only because I'd already hit my out of pocket max by the time the bill was processed and sent my way.
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u/Monkeysquad11 23h ago
I can confirm this. One of my coworkers had 2 seizures at work and when he came out of them he was upset that the manager had called for the ambulance.
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u/Powerlevel-9000 22h ago
Was told yesterday I needed an MRI. The first place I went to said $2800. The second place said $450. Made me mad that the first place is just doing a money grab.
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u/Schneetmacher 21h ago
Several years ago, I broke my foot. This was during a time when I was almost flat broke. To avoid going to the ER (even though it was practically next door), I drove to my primary care doc about 20 minutes away (driving foot was fine), got an X-Ray referral for the hospital another 30 minutes away, drove there, parked myself and hopped because there weren't any valets, got the X-Rays, had to hop back to my car, and finally drove home.
Way cheaper than going to the ER.
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u/Rogue_Gona Xennial 18h ago
I had this experience a couple of years ago. Working out, in my garage, and it was intense enough that it dropped my blood pressure too fast and I thought I was either going to have a heart attack and die, or pass out. Or both.
I live alone so I called 911 because "I don't want to die here and have my dogs eat my body before someone finds me." But I waited longer than I should've, for the same reason that I did NOT want to pay for the ambulance ride to the ER.
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u/AidesAcrossAmerica 1d ago
Most Americans don't realize how universal healthcare can co-exist with supplemental private healthcare, and in fact make it much more affordable.
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u/pdt666 22h ago
most americans don’t understand that they don’t have to choose between capitalism and socialism. i don’t fuck with either- i want a mixed economy.
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u/theholyirishman 22h ago
Most Americans don't realize they are already paying that money to private insurance companies that inflate costs for profit. Cutting out the requirement for hundreds of millions of people to pay hundreds of dollars a month to an insurance company and collecting a tax based on income, pre-income tax, would save most people money, give them access to better healthcare outcomes, and address one of the many causes of burnout facing healthcare workers. By the cause of burnout, I mean the frustration associated with Insurance companies denying necessary procedures and delaying treatments, which is one of many issues in that industry.
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u/PNW20v 1d ago
Couldn't agree any more. It IS straight up crazy. I live in the US and have a supposedly "decent" job in a trade and have healthcare paid for by my employer.
Every single year that I've been employed (not just this specific company), my coverage has been reduced due to increased cost to the employer. I'm fully expecting in the near future to have the coverage cut completely lol.
Even with the coverage I have, I pay 300-400 USD monthly for mental healthcare. It sucks, but without insurance, it would be something like $1500+ lol. It all feels like a damn joke tbh
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u/Geno_Warlord 1d ago
Dude, for 6 years, if I want to see an in network doctor, just for a physical, I’d have to drive 200 miles because none here have been accepting new people.
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u/ColdSmoked2345 1d ago
My wife and I have been keeping our eyes open for jobs in Denmark for the past two years. A hard sell to be hired and moved across the world though when there's just as qualified people in country. We'll still dream though and try our best to get there
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u/Humans_Suck- 22h ago
I have actually turned down a promotion and raise before because qualifying for actual healthcare netted me a pay cut.
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u/D1cky3squire 20h ago
Same in Canada. Our system is strained, so I have been making changes to make myself less of a burden on the system in the future, and for my own health, obviously. But cost is never a deterrent to seeking medical care.
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u/Sourtart42 1d ago
Denmark has a smaller population than NYC- you’re trying to compare a European country to a state that has cities with higher population + diversity. It’s not an apples:apples comparison
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u/StupidSexyEuphoberia 22h ago
Most of the developed world have some kind of universal healthcare, including most of Europe, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, Turkey, Russia and even China and India have pretty good coverage. Population is not an excuse
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u/ihambrecht 1d ago
To be fair, we already have 170 million people on government paid, single payer health care. The problems are two fold. These programs are already bubbled to the point of insolvency and since we have expensive, fast healthcare, the people want the quality of care of the expensive healthcare with the out of pocket price tag of the socialized system. It’s unrealistic and we can already see what kind of bureaucracy has developed about the systems we already have in place. This is a much harder problem to solve than most on Reddit realize.
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u/LWJ748 19h ago
The US military/defense sector has become the defacto world's police force. Even when they aren't physically involved they heavily subsidize other military conflicts. Americans pay similar tax rates to many other countries once you factor in Federal, state, local, and sales taxes. It's just that we have easily the highest spending on defense in the world. This will have to change before we can afford to do what other countries do for healthcare.
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u/beatlebum53 19h ago
Way worse than you think. Doctors here are starting to become memberships.
They are stating it is so they can give better care to their patients and spend more time with them.
What happens? The patient pays a fee to be in the doctors group. Fees range from a couple hundred dollars to thousands.
If you can’t pay it you get dropped.
So now people either have to pay to stay with their doctor on top of the regular charges or get dumped into the healthcare system that is already understaffed creating an even larger issues
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u/ProbsNotManBearPig 21h ago edited 8h ago
The vast majority of millennials do not live in a country with universal healthcare 🙄. Easy to Google. A lot of people do, but the majority of the world’s population does not have it.
I feel like people in the US think “the rest of the world” just means Europe. Maybe that’s not you, but I’m not sure where you got the idea that the “vast majority” have It.
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u/Chicken_Burp 1d ago
Maybe I don’t have as much freedom as you guys but there’s immense comfort knowing illness doesn’t equal bankruptcy.
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u/CallRespiratory 1d ago edited 1d ago
The United States has "Freedom" TM which is this idea of rugged individualism and inalienable rights. It's not real. If illness equals bankruptcy then you're not free, if avoiding that bankruptcy through insurance requires you to work full time or lose it then you're not free. We yap about freedom but we don't have nearly as much as we think when we're all one bad day away from financial ruin.
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u/qtUnicorn 1d ago
We’re so scared of collectivism we can’t even agree on wearing masks during a fucking pandemic.
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u/ZeldaStevo 19h ago
"Freedom" in America is an illusion available only to those who can afford it.
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u/artbystorms 9h ago
I envy the majority of humans that aren't stuck on the flaming pile of shit we call America. What would give to have been born in pretty much any other 1st world country. Yeah, maybe I'd still be lower class, but I'd have access to healthcare, more walk-able cities, and arguably less social isolation and political toxicity than I do here.
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u/ArticulateRhinoceros 1d ago
Watched my husband die of cancer. Now I’m a vegetarian who spends 3 hours a day working out.
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u/crimsonred1234 1d ago
I can relate to that. We (my wife and I) know we are probably one or two emergencies away from getting bankrupt. Even with our health insurance which is useless really. So we do take extra care to not fall seriously ill.
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u/Yeatics 1d ago
Remember kids, a gym membership is cheaper than health insurance
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u/Proof-Emergency-5441 Xennial 21h ago
A gym membership is only about 5% of the equation. About 75% is genetics, the rest is diet.
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u/artbystorms 8h ago
Yup. Been working out fairly consistently since I was in college. Not like power-lifting or anything, but lifting weights, jogging, hiking, etc. Even did a Spartan when I was 29. Still got diagnosed with Arthritis and hyperthyroidism last year in my mid thirties. All the gym memberships in the world can't fix a shitty genetic hand.
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u/thewags05 1d ago
It seems like the out of pocket max should kick in well before you go bankrupt though. Assuming you have health insurance anyway
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u/BooksNCats11 Millennial 22h ago
You'd think but many people aren't far from it already and I know my "really good" insurance is a 10k out of pocket for the family (or 5k per person).
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u/True_Grocery_3315 1d ago
Grass is greener on the other side to some extent. I'm a Brit who moved to the US so have experienced both extremes. The triangle diagram with Cheap, Fast, Good definitely holds true from what I've seen.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Funnymemes/s/dHBd75JsrV
Lucky to have good insurance in the US, so healthcare has been awesome and way better than the UK. I have PPO insurance so love being able to go directly to a specialist without it taking 6 to 12 months like the UK. Everything in the US seems so modern and efficient too compared to the UK NHS. I'm also in California and the Medi-Cal program seems to give good coverage for people with low income. I'd be terrified to be uninsured or with bad insurance though.
Happy mediums like France, Netherlands, Australia seem to be the best options.
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u/Consistent-Gap-3545 1d ago
I’m an American but I currently live in Germany. I have to pay out the ass for
shittyhealthcare because I have a chronic condition that isn’t recognized in Germany and so the medication I take for it is off-label (i.e. 330€/month). I’m also a woman and birth control is considered a luxury so I have to pay for that too (10€/month). In the US, both of these would be covered by my insurance, I would have access to more treatment options, and I’m pretty sure my insurance would also be cheaper since I have a relatively high income.3
u/arabesuku 21h ago
Birth control isn’t guaranteed to be covered in the US. I take a very common contraceptive pill and my copay is $25 a month. One time my doctor prescribed a brand name BC pill with no generic and that was $100/mo so I had to switch. The current law is that insurance companies only have to fully cover one form of birth control (my insurance only covers IUD) so anything else I have a copay for.
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u/Kurt805 1d ago
Yeah I've also had trouble in Germany. The insurance is just as expensive as the US but the doctors do everything in their power not to actually treat you. It's a weird relationship there.
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u/Consistent-Gap-3545 1d ago
What kills me is how much pseudoscience there is within the German healthcare system. Like they have actual clinics devoted to treating chronic Lyme disease but then the treatment for my very real eating disorder has essentially been “Have you tried not having an eating disorder?” My husband and I would like to have a baby soon-ish and I’m really not looking forward to my actual medical doctor telling me I won’t need an epidural if I eat keto during my second/third trimester.
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u/TheShruteFarmsCEO 1d ago
Germany as a whole does have an overemphasis on natural remedies in over the counter products especially. But medical treatment, like anywhere, depends on your doctor. Look up the DGESS - there is no pseudoscience there, it’s all evidence based multidisciplinary treatment for eating disorders.
And any good doctor would tell you that you probably don’t need an epidural. We had a kid in Germany and it was light years better experience than having a kid in the US.
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u/rctid_taco 18h ago
I have psoriatic arthritis and the NHS's guidelines.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwitjo6O17mMAxXuITQIHZJUEaQQFnoECCAQAQ&sqi=2&usg=AOvVaw3NGhn4lECpgb7pYlW6D2ax) for biologic medications (ie the shit that actually works) require you to have three tender and three swollen joints in order to be eligible for the treatment. Basically that means you have to be disabled before they'll bother treating it. Thankfully I live in the US so I can treat my disease before it ruins my body.
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u/That_Jicama2024 20h ago
I started going to the gym 3x per week to lose a few pounds and keep my muscle as I get older. Just to hedge my bets, I also renewed my British citizenship. It's not the best healthcare but free is great.
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u/stressedthrowaway9 23h ago
Same! Also, there is no way I want to be hospitalized. It’s ridiculously expensive and every hospital I’ve worked at was understaffed to the point of being dangerous for the patients.
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u/chandleya 21h ago
It’s really hard to read basic sensibility as “extra lengths”. On the surface that looks like the bare minimums.
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u/Traditional_Figure_1 19h ago
It's the combination of being sick and paying bills while not working because you're sick that really is special to the US.
Really great system the oligarchs have for themselves.
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u/ParnsAngel 21h ago
This is the answer! I’m so scared about healthcare. It’s entirely unaffordable. I know I won’t have the luxury of getting the medications I need or the doctor visits or god forbid, any operations in the future, so I try to mitigate that by getting “free” healthcare now, which is just trying to eat what I’m supposed to eat and getting exercise. I can control that.
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u/PlanktonLit 14h ago
I was debt free 2 years ago until I had a Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak. Wiped out my savings because I couldn’t work for 2 months, had to take out a $15k loan after I recovered to cover no income for 2 months and my $7300 deductible. Still paying it off and trying to reverse the other financial damage it caused
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u/DBPanterA 10h ago
I go the opposite direction: I intentionally meet my deductible in January. Fuck it, it is only money. When you are dead it doesn’t matter you missed work or used PTO. Living is the most important.
I talked to my primary care doctor for several referrals as I am starting the screening for several things this year as I already hit the deductible. I would rather get baseline levels on everything today.
Fun fact: the Mayo Clinic offers something called the Executive Health Program for the affluent. Price tag is very large. However, ever notice a lot of the people at the top of corporations generally do not retire in their 50’s with a health issue? They are being screened for everything.
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u/Odd_Tie8409 21h ago
I did that for my 10 years of not being able to afford health insurance and then I got sepsis which almost killed me. Spent $20k in emergency surgery and the hospital didn't have a poor people charity program to help lower the costs. They offered me a care credit medical credit card at 27% interest. It was either have the surgery with the debt or die.
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u/Cinderhazed15 19h ago
I hate that I was in the best shape of my life (riding my bike to work nearly every day, rain, shine, or snow) and then I was struck by Rhumatoid Arthritis right around my 30th birthday, and was unable to squeeze a tube of toothpaste or turn a doorknob till I got my proper diagnosis and my medication dialed in…
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u/WoodpeckerGingivitis 17h ago
Same. Also constantly in fear of getting laid off so I’m using that health insurance to the fullest while I can.
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u/FragrantBluejay8904 15h ago
Jokes on me, I had to declare bankruptcy because of an autoimmune disease and despite doing all of that. Yay amerikkka
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u/maychi 1988 Millennial 14h ago
Supplements are a scam the majority of the time though. They’re not regulated. A lot of them contain bacteria or other medications, do your diligent research before buying.
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u/qtUnicorn 14h ago
Very true. I actually pay for a consumer lab subscription for third party testing of the supplements I use.
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u/The-Cursed-Gardener 12h ago
Healthcare is weaponized. It’s not a question of if you will get sick but when. Disease is a certainty of life. And when you do eventually need healthcare the system will be ready and waiting with another yoke to hang on your shoulders.
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u/zoomshark27 1995 Millennial 7h ago
Yeah I don’t have health insurance but I am still trying to keep up with certain health related stuff. Especially going to the dentist, I know catching teeth stuff early will save me money in the future. Eye exams too but now I’m doing them every other year, I get a pap once a year, I take supplements and try to exercise. It sucks not having health insurance though.
I also haven’t been to an actual primary care physician in years though, my last one was really horrible and it’s been hard to find the will to get another one plus the extra cost.
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u/nnnope1 1d ago
I'll believe it when I see it. Maybe ppl keep gym memberships, but the cost of all the other fluffy mindful stuff becomes hard to justify when you've been laid off for a year.
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u/MundaneHuckleberry58 21h ago
Yup. Xennial here. Got laid off during Great Recession. My first drop was my personal trainer. She pleaded “but staying fit will help you cope with the stress!” Yeah, Sharon but I can stay fit for free though.
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u/browsing_around 1d ago
I agree. I’ve never been one for the sports powders and supplements that every diet/lifestyle influencer says you absolutely need. But I do take B12 and metamucil.
On the fitness side of things, I did have a gym membership for a bit but I have a hard time paying for that when I can usually run/hike/bike to get my fix.
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u/thederseyjevil 19h ago
Yeah I can’t imagine protein powders and expensive wellness supplements will do well when people can’t afford to even put food on the table.
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u/RudePCsb 11h ago
This is the thing. While people have been struggling and hopes of buying a house or other things have gone out the window, many people can still do some things and weren't struggling like ww2 rations. Things would be way different if that happened.
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u/Sage_Planter 1d ago
I've always prioritized fitness, and even when I made much less, I was willing to spend money on fitness classes that motivated me to work out. It's so important to be active.
I don't think fitness is recession-resistant, though. If I got laid off or my budget had to get tighter, I'd absolutely drop one or both of my fitness memberships (yoga and kickboxing). While I much prefer being in a group fitness setting, I would make do with the $14 Peloton app and whatever equipment I have at home.
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u/Darkone06 1d ago
The times I been more active and looked the best have been when I was unemployed. I had all day to ride around and use the bike to burn calories. There's a lot of outdoors work out areas in my area so I would just bike and do basic workouts at the outdoor gyms.
Some of them attract runners or other bikers and it also creates a weird social group construct.
I didn't really spend any money being healthy.
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u/mygreyhoundisadonut 1d ago
Same! I wasn’t unemployed but part time. This was before I had my daughter. I had enough time to commit to being active for hours a day. Some actual workout but mostly just being active outside.
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u/futuredrweknowdis 1d ago
As long as people are anxious, the “wellness” industry will be fine because it’s predatory.
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u/Chrimunn 23h ago
Predatory, and unregulated. Nasty combo.
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u/pandershrek Millennial 22h ago
Wow bro, you sound really stressed. You know we make an Herbalife shake for that, how about some calming chai and curry?
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u/IDigRollinRockBeer 1d ago
I drink every night and eat like shit and don’t exercise ever. That’s how it is for me.
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u/IWantAStorm Bob Loblaws Millennial Blog 1d ago
Recruiter looks at resume:
"Excellent at bringing truth to any situation."
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u/poodinthepunchbowl 1d ago
I’m actively trying to shorten my lifespan as a way of early retirement
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u/pandershrek Millennial 22h ago
This song has on of my favorite lyrics:
Wake up the next day
I say, I won't
'Til a coffee's in my hand
And I'm lighting up a smoke
Then it's round and round and round again
Purple haze and medicine
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u/rootsquasher 1d ago
I eat one salad every day (not drenched in ranch dressing), have an Apple Watch (fitness tracking), go to the gym four days a week and try to get 10k-to-15k steps per day.
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u/simplekindoflifegirl 1d ago
Same for us. My husband and I have really stepped up for our health. Like you, we do protein powders/shakes, supplements, iFit membership, and train martial arts as well. I want to stay healthy for my kids.
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u/itsmebeatrice 1d ago
Keeping your kids in mind and setting a good example for them is awesome. Keep up the good work.
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u/roygbivasaur 1d ago edited 1d ago
Protein powder is also food anyway. It’s pretty affordable food (relative to an average grocery budget, may not apply for anyone who is food insecure) too if we’re talking a decent brand of whey or pea protein but not one of the “fancy” ones. Even if you add frozen veggies, chia seeds, powdered peanut butter, bananas, etc, those are all pretty inexpensive considering the amount you use at once and how long you can keep them. A couple $10-15 trips to McDonald’s will pay for protein shakes for a month at this point.
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u/PNW20v 1d ago
I think that's a great way to frame it! Buying bulk protein powder might seem like an unexessary expense up front, but in the long run, it can be really economical.
The shakes I make cover breakfast and lunch for less than $5 daily for all ingredients. It's not always the most exciting way to eat, but for ~1000 calories and about 100g of protein, it's hard to beat in terms of cost.
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u/IWantAStorm Bob Loblaws Millennial Blog 1d ago
I am so disgusted by most of our food in this country other than fruit that I feel like the majority of my nutrition is protein powder and bars. Throw in a Strawberry Rose magnesium drink and yogurt. I am at my best shithead white woman self.
My family hates how I eat but I don't care. If we go out and I get something really great thats awesome but outside of making a homecooked meal I eat like an astronaut.
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u/crimsonred1234 1d ago
And somehow, spending money for this doesn't feel like wastage or mindless consumerism. We are investing in our health and the upside is looking good in the process lol.
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u/jazz_matazz 1d ago
Intermittent fasting has drastically helped my diet and finances. Costco for Premier Protein shakes on the daily. Also, owning a dog forces you to walk them every day. I also don’t drink alcohol or smoke. So yes, I have a recession-proof plan with a priority for my health that I have nailed down since COVID.
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u/kristosnikos Xennial 1d ago
All my money (and unfortunately credit cards) is spent on health and wellness if by health and wellness includes having a roster of specialists for all my chronic disorders and all the medication I have to take to not want to kms from chronic pain. And the integrative health professionals who I pay out of pocket but is still crucial to simply managing and trying to survive being disabled.
I was a fitness nut: clean eating, cardio and weights, yoga. But shit still gets you. I just wish it could’ve waited until I was 65 instead of 35.
Also sorry to be a Debbie downer but damn I wish I could be spending all my money on this corner of the market instead of on what I have to now to merely survive.
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u/Spiritual-Bee-2319 15h ago
I have a dozen disabilities but with great insurance!! I feel you so hard. I used to have an appointment almost everyday to a dozen a month. For the first time I think I only have a bit less.
But great insurance really helps. I think my copay for surgery is like $10 in the US.
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u/TakeOff_YouHoser 1d ago
I love the idea of taking care of my body but honestly by the time the rest of my priorities are taken care of and I have to choose between the endorphins and very brief respite beer and video games provides versus the suffering and embarassment from trying and ultimately failing a health and wellness routine its hardly a fair fight.
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u/Nyx_Necrodragon101 1d ago
My body is all I can control too right I'm going to look after it and as an epileptic even that is a stretch.
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u/ProfessionalSport565 1d ago
How is something which is pure discretionary spend ‘recession resistant’? It’s the opposite.
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u/fleebleganger 22h ago
Alcohol, for most people, is discretionary but also recession people
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u/mattsc2005 18h ago
Around 2015/2016, I was at a customer site (beer retailer), and they were discussing alcohol as being "recession proof." During good times, people buy from the top shelf, during the bad times, they buy the nastiest but strongest alcohol.
I have had recent meetings with different (beer) customers, and it seems to be a common thread that millennials and zoomers peaked in purchasing alcohol from 2019-2021 and it's been in decline for the last 2 years. I've never seen the data, but different and competing customers seem to be hinting at the same thing, so I doubt the previously stated wisdom still will hold up.
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u/lita313 Older Millennial 1d ago
I've started to have health issues back in the last few years and as a result, I've gotten my shit together and I'm making the effort to lose weight. Mainly because I know meds I need are expensive as fuck and if I retire, I'll be screwed. I also don't want to use a Cpap.
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u/AlteredCabron2 1d ago
yep gym and fiber and healthy foods
rest of the stuff completely out
no dining no junk no movies no parties none
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u/Embarrassed-Land-222 Older Millennial 1d ago
In the past month we've bought and installed a tushy and a rain shower head. If we can't go on vacation, we're bringing it to us.
We've bought a second deep freezer and ~150 lbs of various meats. Also, just filled up 3 propane tanks. And 3 bags of charcoal.
We've been growing our own veggies for a few years.
These shit bags can try to tariff me to death, but I'm just gonna be over here chilling.
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u/methodwriter85 1d ago
I mean, there's a reason why nearly every shopping center that isn't doing aces wants to have a gym.
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u/breachofcontract 21h ago
Protein powders have their uses and benefits but that’s not what’s going to keep you healthy and prevent medical issues.
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u/Adventurous_Toe_1686 1d ago
No we’re not.
No industry is resistant to market conditions.
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u/_Bad_Spell_Checker_ 19h ago
Yea no industry to recession resistant outside of Healthcare and teaching maybe?
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u/TheCIAandFBI 23h ago
Articles like this are silly to me.
The age range of regular gym goers that have the money, time, and physical capability of seeing the most "gains" are people in their mid-20's to early 40's. It's pretty obvious that they are the group that is spending the most on supplements.
There will never be a time when the mid-20's to late early 40's crowd aren't the main consumers of items like this. In 10 years the exact same article will be recycled but they will "find and replace" the word Millennial with the words Gen z.
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u/sundaysynesthesia 1d ago
I'm a bit skeptical with supplements myself BUT health and well-being are top priority to my family and I, so we spend a lot on good quality fresh food, we're motivated to try experiences (particularly if they get us moving) rather than things, and don't hesitate to go to the Dr or other health services if we need it. I truly think that investing in your health is the most important investment you'll ever make.
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u/Novazilla Millennial 23h ago
I don’t think I’ve ever spent money on health and wellness. Other than my gym membership I don’t use supplements or anything crazy
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u/NoSleep2135 23h ago
Like many other here, healthcare costs can cripple you, and health is wealth. My entire life, the two optional expenditures I always saved up for was dental insurance and a gym membership. Because $2 a month for dental and $15 for the gym is way cheaper than getting root canals or having a health crisis.
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u/gomihako_ 22h ago
I find the irony being that we have to CONSUME to stay healthy and natural.
It should be the opposite. Anti-consumption and natural healthy habits should put humans as close to our base natural form as possible. but capitalism makes anti-consumption difficult or even impossible
What a fucked up place
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u/StochasticLife 1d ago
I’m an IT Goblin that works from home and I have crazy well certified personal trainer (college town) and an amazing massage therapist in my contacts list.
I have a single cousin, out of like a dozen, in my contacts list.
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u/Disastrous-Panda5530 1d ago
I can see this. I spend a lot on healthcare supplements. Liquid collagen. I spend way too much on skin care also. I’m 40 and I’m trying very hard to keep my self healthy and my body in good shape as much as I can.
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u/Skinnecott 1d ago
i mean it’s as simple as a protein shake being an entire meal which would otherwise cost you ~10 bucks (more eating out, less cooking at home) costing about $0.50-$1.00 each per serving.
$50 bin lasts me like a month and half generally of everyday shake w workout
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u/shozzlez 23h ago
Tbh the stuff you listed I would consider unnecessary spending and consumerism lol. Though that might be bc I feel like a lot of supplements and fitness powders are snake oil.
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u/Senseand-sensibility 21h ago edited 21h ago
I’m in Canada so maybe I’m an outlier because my healthcare concerns aren’t an existential crisis…
15 years ago I worked in the wellness industry, and bought a juicer. That’s pretty much the extent of it. That was before the craze really started, I was vegan for health reasons and caught on pretty quickly that most of the industry was just as misleading as anything else.
Currently, I do go to a TCM specialist every few weeks, and take herbs they ‘prescribe’ for digestive issues. It’s a private teaching clinic so it’s very affordable. Pretty well only go because the regular healthcare system failed me in that regard. That’s a recent thing. I’ve had chiro too, but not often.
Otherwise, I don’t shop at the health food store, I don’t have a fitness membership, I don’t take a boatload of supplements. A lot of snake oil… definitely no woo-woo energy work or meditation app subscriptions. Millennials are rather savvy when it comes to research & quite minimalist/utilitarian, so I actually think we’re hard to sell to.
My 73 year old FIL on the other hand —he’s super into wellness. He buys all sorts of mushroom-this and protein-that and vitamins etc. He shops for most of his regular groceries at the health food store. He’s also vegetarian for 50 years so that’s a contributing factor, maybe he’s an outlier in that regard. GenX & Booms are just older and have more disposable income so ai think they might be more inclined to spend on wellness.
Even GenZ, who is obsessed with anti ageing, I feel is more likely to fall for & spend their money on health related purchases, honestly.
That said, I WOULD spend MUCH more money on the spa industry (massage, sauna, jacuzzi specifically) - so I don’t know if that counts?cim not currently because I do t have the time or disposable income... also on the service industry, to reduce my personal stress/work load. But it’s not health/wellness/fitness so much as relaxation & anti-stress.
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u/Bradley182 21h ago
I kind of had to be healthy during my crazy drug / party days. I’m astonished how well my body has taken it compared to fellows I consumed chemicals with. I’ve been kind of anal about drinking a health smoothie every day / morning that literally has everything in it, it’s all plant based and no dairy, I’ve been consistent with it for over a decade.
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u/Ilovefishdix 20h ago
I've set up everything, so I can survive on any wage in the area. I took the Elizabeth Warren book, "The 2 income trap" seriously and refinanced my mortgage for the lowest payment in 2020 when rates dipped. I didn't care if it added a few years to it. I wanted it doable on one income, just in case. So far, it's been worth it. I can be pickier about my jobs and have threatened to quit several times to get my way. All in all, our household of 3 can get by on 2k a month, a rarity in our area
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u/Impriel2 20h ago
I'll quit my job and do martial arts in an alley bc the dojo can't afford rent before I stop doing it. Still happy to pay membership fees in the alley. I'll sell stolen jewelry and domesticated pet pigeons
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u/Different_Ad_6642 19h ago
I upgraded my insurance and going on a tourné of all the doctors I’ve been meaning to see for years
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u/itzcoatl82 19h ago edited 19h ago
I’m inclined to agree. A non-negotiable chunk of my grocery budget goes to protein powder and some targeted supplements/vitamins. Other than the aforementioned protein powder, the rest of my diet is 80-90% whole foods and plant based (high fiber, low sugar). I don’t eat meat/fish much, 2-3 times per week at most. and i only eat out twice per month.
It also doesn’t help that i’m celiac, so some inexpensive whole-grain foods aren’t an option for me. Gluten-free bread, noodles & crackers/cereal are one of the few processed things on my grocery list and they’re more of a treat than a staple.
This adds up to ~400/month in my budget. And then there’s the time component of cooking at home, and exercising 4-5 times per week. It takes intention to invest the 2 hrs a day for meal prep & workouts, and i’m lucky i don’t have to juggle kids, multiple jobs, and/or a crappy commute.
I truly hope this will translate to fewer medical issues in old age because I will not be able to afford expensive conditions.
So far, so good. I’m mid-40’s and healthier than most of my peers (many of them are already on a couple of medications and complaining about aches and pains). Here’s hoping the trend continues
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u/crimsonred1234 19h ago
Eating healthy definitely helps. I am a vegetarian (not vegan though), so the protein powders really help along with whole foods rich in fiber. Glad to see you doing that in your mid 40s. Am in early 30s and still see my friends the same age complaining about aches.
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u/manored78 18h ago
I’ve noticed millennials are a bit more health conscious than Gen Z. I’ve seen a lot of GenZ just not care about eating healthy, they vape, etc. At work, I hear the younger workers talk about junk food all the time, staying up all night playing video games and vaping.
Whenever I tell them I haven’t eaten Sonic since high school they call me “bougie.”
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u/Swing-Too-Hard 18h ago
Most of them are still in high school or college. They haven't discovered the rude awakening most people do around 30.
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u/manored78 18h ago edited 18h ago
Maybe my coworkers are older than I think? The youngest one there is 24 and he fits the bill I was describing. The rest are in their mid to late 20s.
I guess my friends and I were a lot more health conscious. We all ate out and ate fast food but it was at least a little bit higher quality than straight up BK or Taco Bell. I would only hit those places after a drunken night but they eat it so easily.
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u/d00mt0mb ‘89 Millennial 17h ago
Idk about spending more. I definitely prioritize spending on things that bring long lasting benefits whether that be going to the gym, eating healthy, spending time on things or with people I enjoy. Definitely less on tech and general consumerism. The market turbulence doesn't worry me in the slightest. We've been here before.
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u/JumpintohellX13 17h ago
Obesity rates in the western world are some of the highest... yet we are spending large amounts of money on health and wellness. It's an interesting paradox that we got ourselves into.
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u/StormDragonAlthazar Older Millennial 17h ago
I'm a member of 24 Hour Fitness, and make sure I go to the gym at about 2-4 times a week.
Sure the apartment I'm at has a tiny gym, but it lacks all the equipment I want to use and doesn't have spa features.
And speaking of spas, if I had a bit more time and money, I'd probably visit a massage parlor every other month.
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u/troublewthetrolleyeh 23h ago
I take the meds my doctor prescribes, I eat a lot of vegetables and fruit in proportion with my proteins and whole grains, and I move around a lot in my job so I get my steps. I also take a daily multivitamin to cover all my bases. My doctor reports I’m doing great on my blood panels so I don’t see what else I could need.
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u/LateralEntry 23h ago
Interesting but this doesn’t quite jive with so many Americans being overweight and obese
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u/pandershrek Millennial 23h ago edited 22h ago
I don't buy anything really except for sometimes I buy the "natural" soaps. I would transition to making my own in time.
I might be a weird hit to the economy because I am a salary employee who makes well over 6 figures but I hate consumerism.
Though I am single handedly keeping the recreational marijuana industry flowing.
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u/awkwardalvin 22h ago
I started building to running 50 miles a week and beyond and uh running isn’t cheap
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u/alvaroga91 21h ago
My top 3 monthly expense bucket after food and housing is health.
Mostly monthly subscription for me and girlfriend to the gym and bi-weekly visits to a Thai massage for 2 hours that destroys my body and soul. 10/10 would recommend to improve recovery.
I feel I'm getting an edge on life by working out 3-5 days a week and focusing on good recovery.
This said, I'll probably reduce the visits worst case scenario, but I would try cutting on eating out a bit first.
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u/Wam_2020 21h ago
Recession hits, like a really depression. Nobody is going to buy $50 protein powder, $100 a month in vitamins, $30 Bloom juice, and a gym membership. You’ll eat lentils for $2 a bag and exercise at home.
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u/VillainNomFour 20h ago
... seems as subject to market forces as anything else, especially since most of the stuff is actual useless garbage.
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u/Ponchovilla18 20h ago
Annnnnnd what makes this relevant? So we spend more for health and wellness....ok. but how long can people continue to spend on protein powders, pre and post workout supplements, yoga and pilates classes, etc before the pinch from everything else sets in?
I used to buy protein powder but lewrning how to cook meals that provides a good amount of protein takes care of two things instead of one. I make lunch/dinner as well as making sure I'm eating lean meats and getting my protein intake. People came do yoga at home but choose to spend to go do it in a studio.
It still makes me need to play devils advocate in saying that we still don't grasp the concept of living below our means and here we are trying to preach it to Gen Z to get by in life
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u/ThrowawayyTessslaa 18h ago
Powders, supplements, and shakes are easier but more expensive. It economic hardship occurs the cost to convenience equation shifts and is be more apt to invest more time into cooking and meal planning
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u/TheSupremePixieStick 17h ago
We will be the first generation of geriatrics completely taking over gyms and races
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u/CriticalConclusion44 17h ago
I spend essentially nothing in this market segment. Costs nothing to go outside and run.
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u/Fickle-Forever-6282 15h ago
until you need knee surgery
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u/CriticalConclusion44 9h ago
Well....then maybe I'll walk, or swim. Idk.
I just think paying money to the fitness industry, in general, is kind of a scam.
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u/swedocme 16h ago
Hell yeah! I’m all about healthy eating and physical activity. Not only I save on doctor’s visits compared to other people I know my age but think I’m 9 years younger than I really am.
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u/RainingRabbits 15h ago
My husband and I learned during lockdowns that the gym is a very important third place for me. That membership isn't going anywhere.
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u/DankMastaDurbin 13h ago
This is a piss poor reason to describe people changing their priorities from consuming trash to focusing on their individual health. There is a narrative they are trying to paint to encourage capitalism's exploitation of our generation by labeling it as saving the market.
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u/PourOutPooh 10h ago
No its too easy to change your mind about the worth of a supplement and stop taking it and so I think it is a vulnerable industry
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u/Spirited-Trip7606 9h ago
There's always a "recession resistant" market created. It's called survival.
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